Anxiety & Panic Disorders Health Center

Tools & Resources

Home Treatment

Guide

Home treatment, combined with
professional treatment, can help relieve
anxiety.

Recognize and accept your anxiety about specific
fears or situations, and then make a plan for dealing with it. For example,
if you are constantly worrying about finances, set up a budget or savings
plan.

Don't dwell on past problems. Change what you can to help you
feel more comfortable with present concerns, but let go of past problems or
things you cannot change.

Be kind to your body:

Relieve tension with vigorous exercise or
massage.

Practice relaxation techniques. For more information, see
the topic
Stress Management.

Avoid
alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, and nicotine. They may increase your anxiety
level. Some illegal drugs, such as cocaine, crack, and speed (amphetamines), also can cause anxiety.

Engage your mind:

Get out and do something you enjoy, such as
going to a funny movie or taking a walk or hike.

Plan your day.
Having too much or too little to do can make you more anxious.

Keep
a
diary of your symptoms(What is a PDF document?). Discuss your fears with a good friend. Confiding in others
sometimes relieves stress.

Get involved in social groups, or volunteer to help
others. Being alone can make things seem worse than they are.

Learn
about resources available in your community:

Talk with your human resources officer about
counseling benefits that may be available through your employee assistance
program.

Check with your insurance company to see what mental
health benefits are available.

Contact your public health
department for information on community mental health programs.

Symptoms to watch for during home treatment

Call your doctor if symptoms become more frequent or severe during home
treatment.

In this article

This information is produced and provided by the National
Cancer
Institute (NCI). The information in this topic may have changed since it was written. For the most current information, contact the National
Cancer
Institute via the Internet web site at http://
cancer
.gov or call 1-800-4-CANCER.

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated:
May 09, 2013

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor.
Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this
information.